IT for Change at the 2009 Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

IT for Change (ITfC) organised two panels at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) held in November 2009, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The overall theme of IGF 2009 was 'Internet Governance – Creating Opportunities for All'.

The first panel was about 'Multistakeholderism at the IGF: Assessing impact on participation' and focused on developing an assessment of the IGF's unique multistakeholder model for the IGF review process. The assessment examinined the impact of the IGF model on the participation of different groups and sections of the society in global Internet Governance processes.

The second panel was titled 'The Internet and citizenship: Applying a gender lens' and brought together inquiries in three dimensions: (1) Inquiries into the Internet itself, on the impact of the present paradigm and emerging trends on inclusion of women; (2) Inquiries into the global citizenship scenario, focused on understanding the trans-local nature of the Internet; and (3) Inquiries focusing on how the Internet re-situates the citizen and redefines citizenship vis-à-vis the state and the market, within the context of the nation-state.

Read the panelists' interventions:

Heike Jensen (Humboldt University in Berlin/OpenNet Initiative Asia)

Margarita Salas (Sulá Batsú Cooperative in Costa Rica)

Olga Cavalli (Government of Argentina)

ITfC had previously taken part in the IGF open consultations which were held in February 2009 to take stock of the 2008 Hyderabad meeting and to prepare the IGF review process. During these consultations, ITfC had contributed to a statement of the Dynamic Coalition (DC) on Gender and Internet Governance of the IGF. The statement sought to impress upon participants the crucial significance of strengthening the policy role of the IGF and of integrating gender perspectives in all work related to Internet governance to work towards gender justice in the information society. The statement also stressed the importance of a rights-based approach to Internet governance to realise this goal.